This Too Shall Pass

Good Morning Everyone,

Recently Woody the Cat has been suffering a bout of agoraphobia. Seriously! This is the same Woody the Cat about whom I have written previously. Mr. Neighborhood Ambassador, hunter extraordinaire.

It's been a wee bit disconcerting. For about a month he's always here. Except for potty breaks, I hadn't witnessed him out and about, roaming, stalking, playing at all. This was couple with his being my second shadow, always doing his infinity movement at my legs, under foot, curled up tightly ON TOP of me.

"Woody," I would say, "what's going on little buddy?" He actually spoke back to me with pathetic little squeaks or tiny sounds of explanation, known only to him. And he was sneezing, little tiny 'ah choo's'. A cold? A burr up his nose? A case of poison ivy? Yet, he wasn't sick, just in an extreme state of quietude and introversion.

This went on for about a month, until Sunday night last around midnight. I scooped him up and said, "Buddy, you and I are going for a walk."

It was a really beautiful night, starts out - especially where there were no street lights. I set him down on the side walk and coaxed, "Come on, Woodyman, let's just stroll about for awhile." I'd walk on ahead and look back to see his little shadowy figure sitting stock still on the sidewalk. I could almost hear him weighing up his options: run back for the cat door or follow me.

When we lived in the mountain in San Diego with mountain lions, coyotes, owls, rattlesnakes, and bobcats, Woody the Cat and I would frequently go for night strolls, especially during the full moon. He loved these walks! He would shoot up one tree, leap to another and down again presenting himself back along side of me. "Did you see that!" And of course, I did. I would cheer and clap my hands for him.

Now we were in the cityscape, and here was my fearless cat, scared to move.

"Come on, little guy, you can do this. See? Nothing scary out here."

Just then, a neighbor comes out her front door with dog on leash. I looked down to see Woody in a crouch. A good sign, I thought, he's not running but in the I'm ready for anything stance.
There he is! He's back.

We walked on for awhile just enjoying the summer night together like old times. When we got back to my unit, I reacquainted him with the cat door.

That night he brought me a present: not exactly sure what it was.

I've often thought our domestic pets are like live-in angels. They take on some of emotional burdens and process them for us, so loyal and loving are they. Perhaps he was dealing with some of my stuff, of which I was no aware.

At any rate, it is love that gets any of us from Point A to Point B. Woody the Cat has loved me through all the patches of my own human journey, and it was time to return the favor.

It's been about a week now since our midnight jaunt, and Woody is definitely back. I watched him from my upstairs balcony last night stalking something in the treeline - being himSelf once again. Whatever it was, it has passed.

Thanks for reading!

Kath